This week we did another catechetical piece on the new translation. It was on the Creed. Feel free to use these materials as you see fit.
The Nicene Creed, which we say at Mass each Sunday was composed at the Council of Nicea in 325 in response to a series of heresies which gave false teaching about the nature of Jesus. There were some who said that Jesus was a good man that God used to spread his word but that Jesus was not God. Others taught that Jesus was God who only appeared to be a human. The Church’s teaching was that Jesus was both God and man. The emperor Constantine called the Council of Nicea to clarify the Church’s teaching so that the empire would not be pulled apart over religious differences.
The Fathers of the Council composed the creed as a summary of what the Church taught about the nature of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. For the last 1700 years it has formed the continued standard by which we judge truth and error when it comes to the nature of the Trinity.
Because the creed is so important the Church has always been very careful about the ways that the creed has been translated. In the new translation of the Roman Missal we will have new expressions through which we witness to the ancient faith of the Church. Let’s touch on three points. The first is the change from “We believe” to “I believe.” The original Latin word is “Credo” which literally means, “I believe.” The present translation changed this to “we believe” to emphasize that this is the faith of all of us. Now the emphasis will be on the fact that each of us is called to embrace the various teachings found in the creed and make them our own.
The second point has to do with the word “consubstantial” which is found in the series of teachings about Jesus. This word means “one in being” or “having the same substance.” It is an affirmation of what we believe about Jesus as God. That God the Father and God the Son share the same divine nature.
The third point is the use of the word “incarnate” which means to take on flesh. This affirms that Jesus was truly human. It complements the word “consubstantial” and together they point to the teaching of the Church about the divine and human natures of Jesus. These words will take some getting used to but they help us be more precise about what we believe about Jesus and the Holy Trinity and that will be a good thing.
The Fathers of the Council composed the creed as a summary of what the Church taught about the nature of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. For the last 1700 years it has formed the continued standard by which we judge truth and error when it comes to the nature of the Trinity.
Because the creed is so important the Church has always been very careful about the ways that the creed has been translated. In the new translation of the Roman Missal we will have new expressions through which we witness to the ancient faith of the Church. Let’s touch on three points. The first is the change from “We believe” to “I believe.” The original Latin word is “Credo” which literally means, “I believe.” The present translation changed this to “we believe” to emphasize that this is the faith of all of us. Now the emphasis will be on the fact that each of us is called to embrace the various teachings found in the creed and make them our own.
The second point has to do with the word “consubstantial” which is found in the series of teachings about Jesus. This word means “one in being” or “having the same substance.” It is an affirmation of what we believe about Jesus as God. That God the Father and God the Son share the same divine nature.
The third point is the use of the word “incarnate” which means to take on flesh. This affirms that Jesus was truly human. It complements the word “consubstantial” and together they point to the teaching of the Church about the divine and human natures of Jesus. These words will take some getting used to but they help us be more precise about what we believe about Jesus and the Holy Trinity and that will be a good thing.
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